Plenty to play for as final MLS week begins

A still-important final week of MLS play begins tonight when Chivas USA visits Chicago in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 5 p.m.

Then there will be a pause until Saturday, when the biggies will be San Jose's visit to Los Angeles, and of course FC Dallas' game at Sounders FC -- each kicking off at 7:30 p.m.

But it's likely that the final MLS standings and playoff pairings will go down to the final day: Houston at Chivas at noon Sunday, followed at 3 p.m. by the league's regular-season finale: New England at Columbus.

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And here's what Sounders coach Sigi Schmid has said about his team's task ahead:

“There is still a lot at stake for us this weekend. We could finish anywhere from first to forth. For us that seeding is important. We will see how the Chivas game goes with Chicago. Then the other games are going to be on Sunday so we are not going to know the results. Right now we are fourth in seeding, but if we could move up to first or second or even third that’s important to us. Plus with the playoffs only being a week away, or it could be only four days away if we are playing on a Thursday, we are not going to play anybody that is injured and cost them a chance to play in the playoffs. But we also want to play our team and make sure we stay in rhythm.”